Plug-ins

This page is an overview of the four audio plug-in formats supported by Audacity. Audacity has built-in support for LADSPA and Nyquist plug-ins, and platform-specific support for VST and Audio Unit plug-ins.

Types of plug-in

Audacity can use four types of plug-in effects:

• LADSPA Plug-ins
• Nyquist Plug-ins
• VST effect plug-ins (only on Windows and Mac)

In Audacity 1.2, you must add the VST Enabler to your computer to use VST plug-ins (the Enabler is essentially a LADSPA interface for VST plug-ins). Audacity Beta has built-in support for VST effects.

• Audio Unit Plug-ins (only on Mac with Audacity Beta).

How do you add plug-ins to Audacity?

On Windows and Mac, put them in the Audacity Plug-ins folder.

• On Windows, the Audacity plug-ins folder is usually at C:\Program Files\Audacity\Plug-ins
• On Mac, the Audacity plug-ins folder is usually at Mac Hard Disk > Applications > Audacity > Plug-ins

For extra paths from which Audacity can load LADSPA, VST or Audio Unit plug-ins, see the respective links in "Types of plug-in" above.

• On Linux, plug-ins can be added to:

~/.audacity-files/plug-ins

/usr/share/audacity/plug-ins

/usr/lib/ladspa/plug-ins

/usr/local/share/audacity/plug-ins or

/usr/local/lib/ladspa/plug-ins

Free plug-in downloads

• LADSPA
  • Set of over 90 plug-ins for Windows
  • Set of over 90 plug-ins for Mac
  • Linux information

• Nyquist
  • Recommended Plug-ins
  • Experimental Plug-ins

• VST
  • Free-Loops (Windows)
  • Hitsquad for Windows and Mac
  • KVR Audio for Windows and Mac
  • Open Directory (Windows, Mac)

• Audio Units (only on Mac with Audacity Beta)
  • Hitsquad

Limitations

• No real-time effects: Audacity cannot yet preview an effect while changing the parameters of the effect. Audacity cannot yet apply effects to audio while it is playing or recording.
• VST instrument (VSTi) plug-ins that generate sound are not supported

For Developers

• If you're interested in writing your own plug-ins, see "Creating your own Plug-in".
• To help us improve support for audio plug-ins, subscribe to audacity-devel and introduce yourself.